Apparatus For Closing Jars Or Other Containers With Caps

Abstract

Apparatus for closing containers such as jars with caps from a supply of caps which are automatically guided and preliminarily tightened on the jars and thereafter the cap is firmly tightened on the jar by use of wheels which engage opposite sides of the caps and are driven at different speeds and biased in a direction tending to press the caps against the jars so that caps are firmly tightened onto the jar.

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for closing jars or other containers with caps, said apparatus comprising partly a conveyor for conveying filled jars through the apparatus, partly a device for the supply of caps to the apparatus from a cap container, partly a device for guiding and/or preliminarily tightening the caps, and partly a device for firmly tightening or final pressing on the caps, which have been located on the jars, said device for firmly tightening comprising two wheels, one on each side of the central axis of the conveyor, which wheels cooperate with one part close to their periphery with a part of the upper side of the cap close to its edge, whereby the wheels are driven with different speeds, so that their parts, which cooperate with the cap, are driven in the same direction as the jar conveyor, whereby the speed of one of the wheels is lower than and the speed of the other wheel is higher than the speed of the conveyor.

According to the invention the wheels in a conventional way are influenced by a resilient force, which works to press them against the caps in the axial direction of the jars, and that the rotation axis of the wheels extend wholly or almost wholly in said axial direction, so that jars with caps thereon are moved in under the underside of the wheels, which underside is perpendicular to the rotation axis, and that the jars will be engaged by said side and thereby be firmly tightened or pressed on by friction engagement or pressure respectively.

The wheels are by an adjustment device sidewards adjustable for different cap dimensions, so that substantially in size equal a part of the peripheral part of the wheels will always cooperate with the top side of the caps. Further the wheels are supported by one free end of an arm, the other end of which rotatably rests on a platform over the apparatus frame, so that the arm is vertically rotatable, and the free end of the arm is by the influence of a helical spring, which is arranged between the platform and the arm, kept against and has its upper vertical position adjustably limited by a nut on a bolt. The shafts of the wheels are displaceable in an axial direction and, by springs, strive to be displaced towards the caps. Further said platform is supported by four pillars, which are commonly vertically displaceable, and the device for locating the caps and the device for firmly tightening the caps are supported by the area of the platform between the pillars and together with the platform vertically movable above the apparatus frame with the jar conveyor in order to adjust the apparatus for jars of different heights.

The invention is illustrated by an embodiment shown on the enclosed drawings as an example.

FIG. 1 shows schematically a side view of the apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows on a larger scale a vertical section through a device for firmly tightening in the apparatus.

FIG. 3 shows the device according to FIG. 2 as seen from above.

The apparatus according to FIG. 1 is provided with partly a conveyor for conveying filled jars in a line through the apparatus, said conveyor being generally indicated with 1, partly a device, generally indicated with 2, for the supply of caps, partly a device, generally indicated with 3, for guiding and preliminary tightening of caps, and partly a device, generally indicated with 4, for firmly tightening of caps, which have been located on the jars. The device for the supplying, guiding and preliminary tightening of caps is more fully described in my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 326,504, filed Jan. 24, 1973.

The conveyor 1 is supported by the frame 10 of the apparatus. At each side of the frame 10 two sleeves 11 are arranged and through each sleeve 11 a vertical pillar 12 extends, which pillar is displaceable by being threaded, whereby a worm wheel 13, which is rotatably mounted in the sleeve 11, has a threaded bore engaging the thread of the pillar and outwardly is engaged in threads of a worm screw or a tooth wheel (not shown) on a shaft 14. Two worm wheels 13 provided on each side of the frame 10 are further each engaging a toothwheel 15 on a shaft 16 with a wheel 17. A turning of the wheel 17 will accordingly be transmitted to the four pillars with a lifting or lowering of these as a result. The pillars 12 are at their upper ends connected by a platform 18 supported by them.

According to FIG. 2 and 3 above the platform 18 an arm 19 is so arranged, that at one end thereof it is kept abutting the platform 18 by a bolt 20 having a helical spring, which bolt extends through a slot 21, so that the arm 19 guided by the bolt 20 is displaceable against the platform by influence of a helical spring 22. The other end of the arm 19 is located at a distance from the platform 18 and is resting on a helical spring 23 around a bolt 25, which is fastened in the platform and passes freely through a slot 24 in the arm 19, with a nut against the upper side of the arm, so that the outer end of the arm is kept elevated against the nut of the bolt by the spring 23.

On the free end of the arm 19 two double bearing housings 26 and 26' respectively are arranged being adjustable in relation to each other by a device 27, said device comprising a screw, which is right and left threaded on its two ends respectively, and a nut which is rotatable but axially undisplaceable in relation to the arm 19. In each of the double bearing housings 26, 26' a shaft 28 is pivoted, said shaft being forwardly inclined a little, for example 4.degree.-6.degree., in the movement direction of the conveyor device in relation to a line which is parallel with the longitudinal axis of a jar being conveyed by the conveyor device, as is shown in FIG. 2. Said shafts 28, however, may also be substantially vertical. On the upper ends of each shaft 28 a belt pulley 29 is provided, and at the lower end of the shaft is provided a wheel 30 for firmly tightening with an annular friction member 31 at its lower end, said member preferably consisting of rubber. The wheel 30 and the shaft 28 are upwards displaceable against the action of a helical spring 32. The effect of said spring for pressing against the caps can in a simple way be improved by annular weights, which are positioned on each of the belt pulleys 29.

Each belt pulley 29 is in driving connection with different ones of two belt pulleys 34 by a belt 33, said belt pulley 34 being arranged on a vertical driving shaft 35, which is pivoted in a bearing housing 36, which is adjustably arranged on the platform 18. The belt pulleys 34 are unrotatably but axially displaceably arranged on their shafts 35, for example by a key being fastened in each respective belt pulley, said key being located in a longitudinal groove in the shaft.

The device 2 for supply of caps to the jars comprises a conventionally formed cap container 41 and a cap chute 42, in which the caps slide down with their bottom sides down and their mantle edges being downwards directed.

The function of the apparatus in as follows. Filled jars are supplied preferably by some mechanical device to a conveyor 71, said conveyor being driven by a motor 40 over a shaft 39, a sprocket 70 and a chain 69, on which conveyor the jars, standing in a line, are moved in between and seized by conventional side belts 72, which belts are driven with the same speed and movement direction as the conveyor 71.

Caps are supplied from the cap container 41 through the cap chute 42 to the device for guiding and preliminary tightening of the caps. Immediately after the preliminary tightening the upper sides of the caps close to their periphery will engage the friction members 31 of the horizontal or somewhat inclined wheels 30 for firmly tightening. The wheels 30 rotate in different directions but in such a way, that their peripheral parts, which are located above the conveyor, rotate in the same direction as the conveyor, and for the right wheel, as seen in the conveyance direction, this speed is lower than that of the conveyor, and for the other wheel it is correspondingly higher than the speed of the conveyor, which arrangement has the consequence that the wheels 30 and their friction members 31 tighten the cap on the jar. The firmness of the tightening can be increased by placing annular weights on the belt pulleys 29.

The wheels 30 and the device 3 for guiding and preliminary tightening of caps are adjustable into a height position adapted to the height of the jars by adjusting the vertical position of the platform 18 by a wheel 17. Further the vertical positions of the wheels 30 are adjustable by swinging of the arm 19, by the bolt 25 and the spring 23, and further the wheels 30 can be displaced upwardly against the actions of each respective helical spring 32. Further the wheels 30 are by the device 27 laterally adjustable for different cap dimensions, so that a substantially in size equal part, for example 5-6 mm, of the periphery of the wheels will always engage the upper sides of the caps.

The apparatus of the embodiment described above of the invention provides a firm grip of the jars during their movement through the apparatus, an effective guiding of the caps before and during their positioning on the jars and a highly effective and firm tightening of the caps on the jars.

Although the invention has been illustrated in the drawings in only one embodiment, it is evident, that especially the various transmission means and other details may be modified within the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. Apparatus for tightening caps, having a top and a downwardly directed mantle, on filled containers, the apparatus comprising:

frame means;

conveyor means operable to move filled containers through said frame means at a speed;

means operable to preliminarily tighten the caps on the filled containers;

first wheel means operable to engage a peripheral portion of the top surface of each cap with a peripheral portion of a lower surface of said first wheel means, the lower surface being generally perpendicular to the rotation axis of said first wheel means, said first wheel means being resiliently mounted on said frame means such that said first wheel means presses against the top surface of each cap in the axial direction of the filled containers, said first wheel means being mounted at one side of said conveyor means and being rotatable such that the speed of the lower surface engaging the top of a cap exceeds the speed of said conveyor means and is directed in the direction of movement of the filled containers through said frame means; and

second wheel means operable to engage the peripheral portion of the top surface of each cap with a peripheral portion of a lower surface of said second wheel means, the lower surface being generally perpendicular to the rotation axis of said second wheel means, said second wheel means being resiliently mounted on said frame means such that said second wheel means presses against the top surface of each cap in the axial direction of the filled containers, said second wheel means being mounted at the other side of said conveyor means and being rotatable such that the speed of the lower surface of said second wheel means which engages the top of a cap is less than the speed of said conveyor means and is directed in the direction of movement of the filled containers through said frame means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said first wheel means includes a slightly inclined first rotatable shaft; and

said second wheel means includes a slightly inclined second rotatable shaft,

whereby said lower surfaces of said first and second wheel means are at a greater distance from said conveyor means when the top of a cap is first engaged by said lower surfaces than when the top is last engaged thereby.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

lateral adjustment means for accommodating differently sized caps is disposed between said first and second wheel means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

each said lower surface includes a replaceable friction member disposed adjacent to the periphery.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

said first and second wheel means are supported at one end of an arm;

said arm is pivotally mounted at the other end to a platform which is attached to said frame means;

vertical adjustment means is provided at said one end of said arm.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

said first wheel means is displaceable in the direction of the axis of said first shaft and is resiliently pressed downwardly by a spring; and

said second wheel means is displaceable in the direction of the axis of said second shaft and is resiliently pressed downwardly by another spring.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein:

said first wheel means is driven by a first belt; and said second wheel means is driven by a second belt.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:

said platform includes vertical positioning means operable to move said platform vertically with respect to said frame means to accommodate containers having different heights.